Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 December 2002 — Page 19

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27,2002 St . "!'•

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAQEC3

Play and dinner program will start 2003 season for Freetown Village

Special to The Recorder

23 jj Freetown Village Inc. begins o the new year with a theatrical production and the first Evening Dinner with Freetown -* Village program of2003. *' In cooperation with the Indiana Supreme Court, «•* Freetown Village will present “A •v- Matter of Justice,” at noon on Jan. 16, at the Artsgarden in downtown Indianapolis; and 7 » : p.m., Jan. 23 in the Supreme Court room, third floor, in ^ Indiana Statehouse. The perfor- . mances are free and open to the ‘ r public. “A Matter of Justice” explores ''' the effects of the Indiana judicial system on African

Americans. It is a re-enactment of the Freeman vs. Robinson case in which a Black man filed suit against a white U.S. marshal for assault and extortion and won. The case was a pivotal point in Indiana history in that it was surrounded by a number of firsts for Blacks in Indiana including the passage of the 15th Amendment that gave Blacks the right to vote; and the appointment of the first jury in the state to include Black members. “This production gives a big message to the community: justice prevails,” said David Remondini of the Indiana Supreme Court. The Supreme

Court looked past color and presided in Freeman’s favor. Across class, status and race, the court has touched many lives in a positive way.” The Supreme Court is supporting this production through its education outreach program. “We have an obligation to tell people about our history so they know how it affects their lives. We do so by establishing partnerships in the community such as with Freetown Village.” In the play, Freetown asks the audience to travel back in time for a lesson in 19th century Indiana history. Freetown school teacher Matilda Addison, along with Freetown Village founders Isaiah and Sarah

Elizabeth Cuffee and others, will review the case and its effects on Blacks in Indiana. The production is only one of the activities of Freetown Village. The organization provides a variety of entertainment and educational programs including An Evening Dinner with Freetown Village, craft and heritage workshops, youth summer camp, touring performances, annual theatrical productions and various special events. In February, Freetown will resume its acclaimed Evening Dinner program. The interactive theme dinner consists of period food, parlor games, storytelling, songs and

more, while exploring the experiences of African Americans in 19th century Indiana. An Evening Dinner with Freetown Village is held in Indianapolis at the Side Street Deli on Fort Wayne Avenue. The February dinner will be Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Advanced registration for the dinner is required. The price per person is $40; Freetown Village members, $35. VISA, MC, cash and checks are accepted. The staff and partners of Freetown Village are excited about the activities of the new year. We will continue to provide a number of enlightening programs to youth and

adults,” said Ophelia Wellington, executive director. For more information regarding “A Matter of Justice” and Evening Dinner with Freetown Village, call (317) 631-1870.

□□□□o nnaH nnn hdohd nnnn □□□□□□□□ □□□□ HBnn □□□□□ □□□□□□ □□□□□□ nnnn

Honon

□IlGUQ

Beloved veleran actor reflects on a venerable career

nnonnn

□BO I

□nnnBo □□□□□□

LlH

rv. * i

IgBoI*

iTTr^Mf

tU> Rl

■

MlMRi

-4'

oTUTt

[AjS

i|tro

E f

rMh

'pIo

slwls!

n|a

By KAM WILLIAMS For The Recorder Robert Guillaume, bom Robc . ert Williams in St. Louis in 1927, *' still has one of the most readily < recognized faces around. The es- . teemed actor is probably best * - known from his days as Benson f on the ABC-TV show of the same T ‘ name which began its long run in * 1979. But even before he landed his • own television series, Guillaume ' ■ had already compiled quite an v impressive list ofstage, screen and TV credits. He started out on the stage, gamering critical acclaim and a Tony nomination on Broadway for “Guys and Dolls” before heading to Hollywood. Then, after making memorable appearances on such classic • ?1 sitcoms as ’All 1 in the Family,” ♦ r “Sanford & 5}dh? tl *rhe Jeffersons” V and “Good TftffeS,” Guillaume landed a recurtirt^toble on “Soap.” ^ When he won an fettimy for his work on that offbeat parody of a ' • soap opera, ABC decided to spin off the lovable, Benson DuBois 9' thartuftef intb his ver^'dfrtt verirUffitoy? -•jw rn>" ‘ h i ' r ' Even ; post “Bteftibn,” 11 Guillaume’s career fFbbtfshed, ^ with the talented thbs^ikn bloving beyond comedy^exhibiting his ^ versatility on a sebre of shows, . Tj from " ,!5? ^ Touched by a^iAngel” to “LA * r Law” to ‘A Different World” to * The Fresh 1 FHhoe” to The Love * Boat” to “Saved by the Bell” and • n beyond. ,Ji On film, meanwhile, he made n ‘ his mark in many movies, most ‘ r ' notably“LeanonMe”(1989),The Lion King” (1994) and “First Kid” r “ (1996). f Unfortunately, Guillaume’s "• private life has been marked by '* misfortune, such as the 1990 death ofa son from AIDS and his ? own stroke, suffered in 1999. Despite the latter setback, he ,r ' continued to handle his recurring role as an ensemble cast member _ . on “Sports Night,” the TV sitcom. And now he has a new film in “13th Child: Legend of the Jersey Devil,” a horror flick released in time for Halloween. Recently, I had a chance to chat with the contemplative actor about his life, career and his just 3 ' published autobiography. w How did you decide to become *• an actor? RG: I knew I wasn’t going to be the head ofAT&T in my lifetime. And since I had to have a certain amount of control, I had to find a profesL sion in which the illusion of conL trol existed. And what better place <' would that be than in show busi- ■* ness, singing and acting. f * How long were you on “Soap,” J" before they spun it off? '<* RG: Two years. Is it affair to assume that Benson was your favorite TV • u work? RG: Well, yeah. The Benson lr character. But remember, I did it ^ for two years on “Soap” and then ?J seven more years on “Benson.” And I think I had as much fun the - two years on “Soap” as the seven y years on “Benson,” because, on ' : “Soap,” the character was much * r more outrageous. *•' Do most people recognize you as Benson? RG: I suppose so, though I did ~ u Thantom of the Opera” for eight ^ months in LA '*! ’/ And I have a lot of admirers •' froth "Lean on Me,” a movie I ~ L made with Morgan ?v Freeman.”

Why were you so successful? Was it because you have an aristocratic air about you? RG: No, that’s BS. Please! But you have to admit to having a dignified, regal bearing. Or is that all acting? RG: Whatever that turns out to be, that’s sort of the way I am. But I don’t think of it as regal or aristocratic. I don’t understand what you mean by that. When I think of certain actors like you or James Earl Jones, they seem to command a certain respect. RG: Well, maybe so. Thank you very much if that’s meant to be a compliment But I always saw myself as just playing an Everyman. What drew you to this latest role in the “Legend of the Jersey Devil”? RG: I had never heard of the “Jersey Devil” and was very surprised that there wasawhole Pine Barrens legend that a lot of people in the area knew about. Since I wasn’t doing anything and they offered the role to me and I said,

those

numbers, andrivell so? Avhat we can do.” n.fwf'H^Mpfartpfs Cliff Robertson, an Oscar-winner. What was it like working with

him?

RG: Oh, wonderful! I like Cliff. I think I’d worked with him before on something else. He’s a nice man. Cliff was one of the big stars at one time and it’s always kinda nice to get close to that, as an actor. Watching him work, he makes it seem so easy. And if you really pay attention, you come away with something.” So you’re still learning? RG: Oh, of course. Always, always, always. I’m a person who’s always learning. I don’t think that learning is ever a closed issue. Had you ever made a horror film before this? RG: No, I had never, though some other films I’ve done have turned out horribly. What’s the name of your autobiography? RG: It’s called Guillaume, a

Life.

Where can people find it? RG: It’s published by the University of Missouri Press. People can find it at Amazon.com and it’s in the bookstores. What do you hope to accomplish with the book? RG: I wrote the book with the hope that young people and poor people and those looking for a direction in life will read it and say, “If he can do it, I can do it” That was my aim or goal. What advice do you have for those wanting to follow in your footsteps? RG: I don’t give advice about how this business works, because I’ve never found a formula. So, I’m not ever sure that I have anything cogent to say in that regard. But I believe that a biography, or even fiction, can stimulate your imagination, enabling you to learn on your own, so to speak. Rather than somebody telling you to do this or do that Each person charts his own course with the help or subtle hints of things you can find around. It becomes a very personal thing. So what do you say to kids when you work with them in the schools? RG: Rather than try to zero-in as a role model, which doesn’t make much sense to me, I just ask them really pointed questions

with a Socratic method of inquiry. “What do you want to do? How much do you want to do it? Do you really think you’re talented? Do you have a desire to do it?” I tell them that they can find the answers to whatever problems they come up inside of themselves. They’re not outside. Some people spend so much of their lives looking for answers outside of themselves. And, of course, there’s no information out there. It’s right inside you. That’s what I always think. You’ve already been given what you need for success. How were you affected byyour son contracting AIDS? RG: It sort of got away from me. I thought I was paying attention. I noticed that he seemed to be acting strange. We’d have parties and family gatherings and he wouldn’t show up. Or when he did, he was all covered

sioiu nmi si’imis

Ladles & Mens Suit! & Stacy Adams For Men and Boys!! All Colors & All Sizes Solids ft TWo Tones High Tbps, Low Tbps ft Slip Ons Great Selection, Great Prices

H SAMS SHOES 5211 East 38th St. juua sams 546-7267

MkAjorCndK Cards Accepted

Hours:

Mon-Sat 106

inn

. .*.• .. . J J &?* A : .*/

IhREE!...

'w Um|

■ritti V/V: V. • « •. *' , ■nfa ■ f;: Two!...

2003 is almost here and corks will 1 ail over Downtown to celebrate. Don't i ail the New Year’s Eve fun. Log on to i for all the bubbly details on New Year s Eve < and special hotel packages Downtown. Whuue to Step Out on New Year's i

ZooYear's

Indianapolis Jazz

Orchestra New Year’s Eve

Dinner & Dancing Indiana Roof Ballroom

Indianapous

Symphony Orchestra’s

New Year's Eve Celebration Hilbert Circle Theatre

Family New Year's Eve Indiana State Museum - < Elegant Eve Winemaker’s

Gaia Winery Snan Wt;.,

, Where To Sleep In on New 1 Adam’s Mark Hotel, Canterbury * 1 ' Embassy Suites Hyatt Regency, Omni Severin, Radisson

Answers for the curious, The 12th Month Tour. It's the season to explore the city’s celebrations. Go. Do. See how much fun you can have by January 1st.

1. Tnxtmg up Mmdnn m a hone-Aawn orrugr Bttn kMcn Cmritg Compny, 3116314169, Oidr CUy Gmugn, 311.381.1316 and YMrw bst Corrupt, 3116343400 2. Watching the sugar plum faihes get

down at the Murat

502 North CtfUclArmw, 311.6378979

'< i.! ■ *

• 1

1 |

• 17. i

■ , i

• 3. •

1 1-

i 2. i

L -.1

, ,

• i

1 1

1 16. 1

- -i

1 4. •

• 1

• J

i 1

r 1

t T

14,

i 5. i

: ^ :

■ 7. .

—

- -

- J

. •

1 1

• 1

■ 13.'

w - - |

ig.'.

• 1

' 1

! 12. •

!io.;

1 9. !

• 1

i s

3. Waiting on Monument Circle , , - for the switch to be thrown i IS. < i Momtmml Chrlt, 311.2321615 ' ' 1 4. Waiting at IRT for Scrooge to call Mariev's ghost “an undigested bit of beef" 140 Mi Mkfkm Stmt, 311635.5211 5. Meeting the President at the Hamson Home 1230 North DtUwn Stmt, 311.631.1888 6. dancing Santas at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Kdnidr CMimon 45 Manmnu Ctrdt, 311.639.4300 7. WKchmg kids tnwl through dw Indiana Stale Museum’s winter wonderland, on the erstwhile LS. Ayres Santaland Express 650 Mt Mshttfkm Stmt, 311.232.1631 8. Sauntering up Massachusetts Avenue

m search of gifts

318-922 MauAmmAmm, 311.8220102 9..Simp6agi0.an<Ugg)r pudding in. ^ the Restaurant at the Canterbury 123 South Ohnoa Stmt, 311.634.3000 10. Enjoying Dance Kaleidoscopes holiday presentation, TU Tie Seam 4600 Smat Awimt, 311940.6555 11. Studying Kwanzaa traditions at The Qiildrens Museum of Indianapolis 3000 Nor* Mmdmt Stmt, 311.3343322

Further answers for the curious available , , at Culturallndy.com or 866509JNDY. ZITIVC CUTIOUS

! ii.! i i

12. Pretending to be KiMiYimigudii at EUenbeiger Park 5301 ItaSt. Omr Stmt, 311.321.1116 13. Celebrating various holidays 19th century style at Conner Prunt'i Hamapui HoIhUfs 13400 ABuomOt M 311.1766006 14. Celebrating Lei fouulis at the Eiteljorg Museum; 300 Wit Hfubyrn Stmt, 3/7A3&9378 conducted by Eric Stark at Oowes PU 4600 Smtt Awmn 311.940.9601 16. Admiring CtruMss at dr Zw’t festive light sculptures 1200 Mt HUogsm Am, 3116302001 17. Celebrating the season at the American Cabaret Theatre's ffcMsyGdui 401 Edit Mithfmt Stmt,;

1430 XNT “Sistah Talk” The # 1 Show To Empower Women of Color Hosted by Radio/TV Talk Show Host

Linda L(" Clemons

TOPICS • Relationships • Beauty • Celebrity Interviews • Spirituality • Current Events • Entrepreneurship • Finance

Trips • Prizes • Contest • Give-a-ways Now Day-New Time Sunday 10:00AM -12 Noon • Uve an (317) 239-1430